On March 7, AWI presented the Schweitzer Medal to John Thompson in recognition of his extraordinary efforts to improve law enforcement’s recognition of animal cruelty as a crime of violence and its response to those...

Ann Hastings, director of violence prevention at 360 Communities, a community service organization in Minnesota, knew that something was missing from her department—a therapy dog. Finally, upon identifying the right handler, Hastings went online and...

When Massachusetts strengthened its animal cruelty statute in 2014, it also set up a task force to make additional recommendations. A new law resulted—signed in August—that raises certain penalties and makes three other significant changes...

Thomas McNamee provides a window into what makes cats tick in The Inner Life of Cats: The Science and Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions. Anecdotes centering on his own cats, especially beloved Augusta, are...

The cover of Birds of a Feather: A True Story of Hope and the Healing Power of Animals, features a photo of a veteran embracing a parrot, who rests her head on his shoulder. The...

Since 2000, Congress has acted to improve the treatment of Military Working Dogs (MWDs) by facilitating their adoption at the end of their careers and authorizing the creation of a program of post-retirement veterinary care...

In a November 15, 2014, Des Moines Register article, Debra Pratt was called “a poster child” for the “kind of animal neglect that coins the phrase ‘puppy mill.’” After years of damning US Department of...

On March 23, National Puppy Day, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed “Ponce’s Law” to increase penalties for animal abusers. Named after a Labrador puppy found beaten to death, the new law raises animal cruelty from...

The Des Moines Register published an editorial on November 13, 2016, entitled “Why won’t the USDA shut down this serial animal abuser?” The paper of record for the state of Iowa—one of the biggest puppy...

One of the latest signs of progress in the effort to convince law enforcement agencies to take animal cruelty seriously is the uptick in the creation of animal cruelty units in police departments and offices...